6BB fully hatched frozen embryo advice?

[Harlo86]

Hi everyone,

Today we got the great news our 5 day old embryo caught up on the development stages!! On day 5 it was 2.3? But we were told it's on its way to developing into a blastocyst and needed one more day. Today is day 6 and we got the news it is fully developed, even fully hatched so they were able to do pgta biopsy and freeze. We are told our embryo is now graded 6BB and is frozen on the end of the stick. The embryologist explained because our 'BB' is fully hatched it doesn't have its outer shell to protect it and thawing survival rate is around 80% . I guess I'm just wondering had anyone been in a similar situation and had a successful transfer? How long did you wait to transfer? Ideally we want to wait 3 months to transfer. My body really suffered during this cycle and egg collection. I just got discharged from the hospital after mild ohss. I feel like I need a break but I'm worried waiting might make it more fragile? Any advice or shared experiences would be really great. Thank you xx

[Lelo3479]

Excellent news 😊 congratulations! Pleased you're on the mend and out of hospital too.

With the grading, I imagine they would have graded 2 as an early blastocyst, so not very expanded and 3 that the outer shell was medium thinness. Or if they assisted hatching due to PGT-A, then the 2nd number was how many cells were hatching out. (this is my very basic knowledge, by no means experienced in any shape or form) so hopefully your Embryologist can answer your questions 👍.

I also have no experience with a fully hatched blastocyst etc.

Hope you continue healing well and all works out x

[Harlo86 in reply to Lelo3479]

Thank you Lelo3479! Really grateful for your knowledge around the grading. It is so very complex but the embryologist are brilliant and explain it as best they can. We walked away feeling so happy to have one embryo 😍 hopefully the tests will come back normal and it survives the thaw. Hoping you are having a positive ✨️ experience with ivf. It's a real roller-coaster xx

[Wishinandahopin]

hi there, all my embryos were BB. I had two PGT tested 6BBs that survived the defrost but sadly didn’t implant, but I think that was more things going on with me than the embryo as fully hatched are meant to be good I believe once they’ve defrosted ok. I was told the defrost survival chance was higher than 80.

My 5BB implanted a year or so later after some tests on me and a different transfer protocol. The break won’t make it more fragile.

My embryo, that is now my son, was frozen in 2021 and implanted in 2023.

Good luck! And yes important to rest and take a break after OHSS

[Harlo86 in reply to Wishinandahopin]

Awww wow that is just amazing news 🤩 I guess you never know how it will go. I'm sorry the 6BBs didn't implant. It's heartbreaking 💔 but such wonderful news your 5BB did ❤️ from what I can gather they prefer the embryo to be at stage a 5 but who knows, it might be a miracle embryo for us 🤞 and I feel like we can walk away from this first cycle feeling like we can make it to the embryo stage so that's a relief!! Thank you for sharing your experience Wishinandahopin I am so glad you got there in the end. Really gives me hope for the future xx

[Wishinandahopin in reply to Harlo86]

When I was first researching the 6BBs I found loads of stories of them working for people. So keeping all fingers crossed for you! X

[Harlo86 in reply to Wishinandahopin]

Thank you so much xx

[WillowPark]

Hi Harlo86, my clinic didn't give the same detail on grading as other clinics (and if you look there are some well respected consultants who think grading is misleading when it comes to outcomes!) so I can't give you a comparative situation. However, we were told our day 5 embryo wasn't worth freezing, but they wanted to hang on with it a day to make sure. On day 6 we were told it had recovered and was a full, good quality blastocyst. We left that embryo to last as I was convinced it wouldn't survive the freeze/there would be something wrong with it. We used it nearly 18 months after collection. I am currently 21 weeks pregnant and can feel that embryo strongly kicking me in the stomach. If they have frozen it, it is because they think it can make a baby. Best of luck!

[Harlo86 in reply to WillowPark]

Congratulations WillowPark ❤️❤️❤️ that is just the best news!!!! I firmly believe sometimes it's just the luck of the draw. What works for one might not for another and the grading system is definitely great to guide us but our bodies ultimately decide! I try to just take the pressure off me and go with the attitude of, if it's meant for me then it's meant to be. Not always easy. Every loss, failed implant is so painful 😒 I guess I have to hold faith that good things will come!! Thank you for sharing. It's such lovely news Take care and best of luck for a healthy pregnancy and birth 💗

[WillowPark in reply to Harlo86]

Thank you 😊 I'll keep everything crossed your little day 6 embryo is as lucky for you as mine has been for me 🤞

[Harlo86 in reply to WillowPark]

Aww thank you xxx